New Streetscape on Chambers

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In January of 2012 the City of Newburgh presented a new streetscape design for Chambers Street. Late in the summer of this year we started to see the realization of these plans. The perimeter of the area targeted for revitalization is between Chambers and Dubois and Broadway and South Street. Improvements will be paid for through the City’s Federal Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding.

New parking spots and crosswalks have been painted and bumpouts have been installed; creating a better environment for pedestrians and cars. I was down here recently for the Queen of the Hudson Music Series at 9-11 Chambers Street, and wow what a change this block is seeing. There is still more to come with the land bank soon to rehabilitate and occupy 2 vacant buildings on this same block as well.

What do you think of the new street design? There are plenty of amazing properties still up for sale on Chambers.

Chambers Collage

7 Comment

  • I saw this work being done during one of my visits. It’s great to see new sidewalks and some greenery to go along with it. Always positive to see that the city is investing some infrastructure money.

  • Major transformation! Making Newburgh more beautiful, inviting and safe one step at a time!

  • Looks good, now. But what a wasted opportunity. There are places in the City of Newburgh that have businesses that are desperate for new sidewalks. There is nothing much on this street that generates revenue. The bluestone sidewalks that have been in place for more than 100 years were replaced with cement- that will last maybe 10 years. And what did the city do with the bluestone? This is short term disposable thinking. Bumpouts are a bad idea. Just look at Uptown Kingston. They eliminate parking spaces- that are always at a premium in urban centers. They are destroyed by the snow plows in short order- and make it more difficult to clean the streets. And where is that walkway going? It goes from an empty lot to another empty lot. Why can’t they put any on Marine Drive where the traffic shoots through like it’s a highway and people take their life in their hands crossing? If this is any indication of the Land Bank’s plans, it’s pathetic.

    • It is negative thinking like yours that goes to the heart of the City. Any improvements that the City makes is one step forward in progress. The City of Newburgh is so abused that any change, anything new or even a simple thing like cleaning up a lot is considered an improvement. So please be positive.
      Thanks and God bless.

      • How is being practical being negative? This was money poorly spent in a city full of problems caused by such shortsightedness. If more people spoke up about these things they wouldn’t happen and money would be spent in a better way. Putting a crosswalk between two empty lots on a street with no businesses is not positive- especially because they would be of better use elsewhere. Using materials such as cement for the sidewalks when all they had to do was reset the bluestone- which would last another hundred years- is not positive. Doing anything with the precious little money we get is not positive, unless it’s prioritized. Just under 20 years ago the city had the street I lived on repaved- and spent a lot of money. They didn’t coordinate the paving with the utility companies and within a year the street was full of potholes from being dug up by the utilities. If there’s new development on Chambers Street- which I believe is the goal- what’s the first thing that’s going to happen? They’re going to tear up the street and sidewalks to connect/expand the utilities. Making the same mistakes over and over again is not positive.

  • I think there is room for critical thinking and forethought, as Michael points out. But having this project done, and the impact, however temporary, is positive. Overall, I think it will move the rehabilitation of this section forward. I do think the city planners (and this is NOT the land bank) do need to help transform areas where businesses will be going in.

  • If they’d only extend the sidewalk past the Boy & Girls Club up to South Streeet, wow, that would improve not only the street, but the values of properties, too. Much of Chambers Street has become a blight despite a handful of homeowners who consistently try to keep their street clean.